New single and video for I know you know by Rusangano Family

Rusangano Family have announced details of a new single, their first since winning the award for RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Irish album of the year.

The Limerick-based trio will release I Know You Know on June 16, with Bob Gallagher directing the accompanying video.

“The track is about how we all face various challenges in life, and our inability to speak about these issues. In one sense, it’s about opening up and engaging in conversation,” they explain.

The new single was recorded in Clare and produced by Rusangano’s own mynameisjOhn. It will be launched at a special event in Dublin’s D-Light Studios with a screening of the video, spoken word performances from MuRli and God Knows, a DJ set from mynameisjOhn and a talk by Blindboy Boatclub of the Rubberbandits on mental health in Ireland.

Of the accompanying video, the trio says: “We wanted to do something special around the release, and knew that a strong visual aspect was important. James Kirwan kindly got on board and supplied some artwork.

“We reached out to our friend Bob Gallagher and asked if he would work with us on a video. Bob had some exciting ideas and decided to walk from Dublin to Limerick to chat to us about them.

“We decided to have an event. We wanted to launch the video and track properly, but we also wanted to have an event that makes people think, talk and open-up. We asked D-Light Studios if they would support the event and allow us to host a launch there. They kindly agreed. We asked Blindboy Boatclub from the Rubberbandits to come along and give a talk around the idea of mental health in Ireland, and he kindly agreed”.

Fresh from a rigorous workshop with filmmaker Werner Herzog in Cuba director Bob Gallagher undertook a journey on foot from Dublin to Limerick, conducting interviews and seeking participants.

“I wanted to perform an open- heart surgery of the land. Werner kept reiterating the phrase ‘the world somehow reveals itself to those who travel long distances on foot” so I wanted to test that for myself. The core of the project is about engaging in conversation, and addressing things that are uncomfortable to say, but shouldn’t be. Truth should be freeing, not bound by fear or stigma.

“What started out with the goal of being more open about mental health on a personal level has expanded to include a lot of people who were willing to join in that conversation, which has been very inspiring.

“It made sense that we would create a video and put on an event that brings people together to think, talk and open up. Our ambition with this is that the conversation has a life beyond the video and the event. It should be a starting point and not a conclusion”.

Rusangano are to play at Forbidden Fruit in Dublin’s Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, on June 5, along with Lisa Hannigan and Bon Iver, among others.